Changing trend in the pattern of ocular diseases in patients attending ophthalmology department of a teaching institute in North India during COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to report the changing trend in ocular diseases during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients attending the ophthalmology department of a teaching institute was conducted. We studied the 3 months of the COVID period from April 2020 to June 2020. For comparison, we took the corresponding period of April 2019 to June 2019. Data were collected from the medical record section of the Hospital. RESULTS: Overall, 876 patients presented during the 2020 period compared to 7,242 patients in the 2019 period. Percentage of female patients decreased from 53.1% to 49.1% in the 2020 period (P = 0.0251). There is significant decrease in pediatric group in the 2020 period (P < 0.0001). In the 2019 period, refractive errors was the most common (57.6%) followed by cataract (12.29%), allergic conjunctivitis (3.82%), diabetic retinopathy (3.37%). While in the 2020 period refractive errors, constitute 22.37%, followed by allergic conjunctivitis (8.56%), scleritis/episcleritis (7.19%), dry eyes (7.08%), infective conjunctivitis 6.85%), anterior uveitis (6.74%). In the 2020 period, there was significant decrease (P < 0.00001) in the percentage of refractive errors, cataract and diabetic retinopathy, and significant increase in painful symptomatic conditions. The features of ocular trauma in the two study periods were also quite different. CONCLUSION: There is significant decrease in patients of curable/avoidable blindness. We should be ready for the increase burden of curable/avoidable blindness and should plan various strategies to overcome the potential backlog of blindness.